PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION AND LEVEL OF COGNITIVE DISORDERS IN ELDERLY IN NUR-SULTAN CITY AND AKMOL VILLAGE

Abstract

Background. The article examines the prevalence of depression and the level of cognitive impairment among the
elderly. Associations were found between the level of depression and cognitive impairment. The data of our own research
are presented. The analysis of the global trend in the prevalence of depression among the elderly is carried out.
Materials and methods. We analyzed retrospective data from a cross-sectional study in random population samples of
elderly people aged 50-75 years, stratified by gender and age were randomly selected from Nur-Sultan (Astana) and Akmol
population register among the urban and rural population was formed. All 1700 individuals (900 urban and 800 rural) were
screened in 2014-2016 years. Response rate was 59%. Data from 1008 (457 men and 551 women) were approved for
statistical analysis. All of the data, including medical examination data and the laboratory tests, were processed in the
STATA program.
Results. According to the Study – the prevalence of depression among the urban population is 36.6%, and among the
rural population – 2.17%. Since the sample size of both groups was practically the same, the results are statistically
significant. The overall prevalence of depression was 19.25%.
The analyzed information on cognitive impairment among the respondents of the urban and rural population. In general,
34.90% of urban respondents have moderate cognitive impairment. Namely, 19.16% of women and 33.19% of men have
moderate cognitive impairment. In rural population practically the same, 29.75% of rural tested respondents have moderate
cognitive impairments, 38.09% of man and 23.10% of woman.
Conclusion. Thus, by analyzing the data obtained on the level of cognitive impairment among the urban and rural
population, we obtained the following picture. The level of cognitive impairment is high among men, both in urban and rural
areas and amounted to 33.19% and 38.09%, respectively. The level of cognitive impairment among rural women is higher
than among urban women and amounts to 23.10% compared to 19.6%. While the prevalence of depression is higher among
urban residents and is equal to 36.6% compared with rural residents, whose level was 2.17%.